The Greatest Journey

With the sounding of the captain's whistle, it finally hit Mary that she will be seeing land for the last time in at least three months. She's leaving everything behind - her friends, her favourite teacher, her house - in trade for a possible better life in the New Prefecture.

The great ship is packed full of kids and parents alike, ecstatic to discover new flora and fauna they could gather and sell back in Poynton for extra money. The ropes are being cut, and the ship is ready to leave the port.

"What's wrong, Mary?"

Mary felt a small, yet loving hand on her shoulder. She hasn't realized yet that she was still gazing towards the shore while everyone else was in the cabins for their welcome dinner.

"Oh, nothing, really."

"Come on, my child! Don't be so meek. Tell me, what's bothering you so much?"

Mary's mother has been raising her single for years - since her father started working at an offshore oil rig. Her father can only come back home once every three months, so over time Mary and her mother grew a very close bond.
For Mary, this means there's no way to trick her into leaving her alone.

"Well, I'm not sure if we're actually going to have a good time up there."

Holy Penny, did I just write part of a fake book's first chapter just to make this lightbox fill the screen? Now that's dedication.